Band sampler – circa 1640

Our tiny band sampler is from the first half of the seventeenth century which is indicated by the use of only three colors, green, blue and salmon, typical colors for this era. The use of only double running stitch bands and lack of filling stitches is another indicator. All of the bands worked on this sampler are bands found on band samplers throughout the century and like most of these samplers, the larger bands have smaller bands on either side of them. The patterns worked in solid salmon and green appear to be Assisi work but are actually worked in double running stitch in a grid type pattern. The remaining colored patterns are worked in Montenegrin stitch and diagonal cross-stitch and the alphabet is worked in reversible cross-stitch. This sampler ends with a cutwork band worked with linen thread while all the rest of the sampler is worked with 100/3 silk.